Schijnheilig cinema: Blue collar

SUNDAY JUNE 13
20:30

BLUE COLLAR (1978)
Directed by Paul Schrader
114 minutes
In English with English subtitles

Damn, they don’t make films like this anymore that’s for sure. After Paul Schrader wrote loads of screenplays for other directors like Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, etc.) he decided to direct one of his own scripts himself. His choice was this one, BLUE COLLAR….and so with a great cast including Richard Pryor, a young Harvey Keitel (Bad Lieutenant), and Yaphet Koto (Alien) and a volatile script, he created this explosive gem of a film which is one of the most underrated films from the 70s.

The film is about three drinking buddies who all work in a Detroit car factory. Pissed off about their worker’s union which they feel never does anything for them, one night they decide to rob the union’s safe. That’s the set up for a film that hooks you right from the great opening credit sequence and doesn’t let go until the final freeze-frame. This hilarious and tragic film was one of the last films made in Hollywood that depicted the reality of everyday people without all of the gloss and make-up.

Blue Collar has had a huge impact upon other filmmakers, but has rarely ever been screened since it was made. For example, the whole interracial interaction between Blacks and Whites in this film seems to have been directly ripped off by Tarantino as a standard template for his films like Pulp Fiction. And by the way, as if all that wasn’t enough, it also has a brilliant soundtrack featuring Captain Beefheart and Howlin’ Wolf.

A dynamite film with riveting plot….its a rare screening and its for free….what more could you ask for?

10

-1